Someone to Watch Over Me Again
by peppe1951
Summary: Summary:  Circumstances put Neal back into the care of the Burkes. Warning: The story contains non-consent punishing of an adult; if you don't like, don't read. Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.
1. Chapter 1

**Someone to Watch Over Me…Again 1**

by Peppe1951

**Summary**: Circumstances put Neal back into the care of the Burkes. **Warning**: The story contains non-consent punishing of an adult; if you don't like, don't read. **Disclaimer**: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

**AN:** I want to thank colakirk and vlwillis for their help in betaeing this story…two heads all always better than one.

**Chapter 1**

Peter's team had been briefed on their new case…a stolen artifact from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo had reported as being smuggled into the US to be sold to a wealthy individual who had a collection of artifacts from several countries.

"What we need is information of anyone that has an interest in Egyptian artifacts; so everyone check with your contacts and see if you can learn who fits this description," began Peter as he looked at Diana, Clifton and Neal.

"Do we have any idea who the thief was?" asked Diana.

"We only have a picture taken from the security camera at the museum," replied Peter as he passed the photograph around. "Does he look familiar to anyone," he added as he looked specifically at Neal.

"No, I don't know him," replied Neal, "but Mozzie may. Can I borrow the print to show to him?"

"Sure I have others," replied Peter as he continued to discuss the case until he was sure they were all informed before dismissing them.

It was two days later that they got their first clue to where the artifact was located. Mozzie once again came through with the name of the thief and they acted at once and brought him in only to learn that the artifact had already been sold and the owner, identified as Thomas Cain, was on his way out of the country by boat. Peter recognized the name right away. Cain was rumored to have a large collection of stolen art they just didn't have any proof that he actually did.

The agents rushed to the docks where the ship was docked and before leaving Peter ordered Neal, "You stay here…I don't want to have to watch out for you!" "But I can help," started Neal only to be told,

"NO! You stay here where it is safe and Neal you had better be here when I return," Peter threatened.

Neal nodded dejectedly only to be told, "It is for your own safety…you aren't armed and can't protect yourself," Peter added softening his voice a bit.

Neal watched him leave before saying out loud, "I may not be armed but I'm quite capable of taking care of myself," convincing himself that he would only go as far as to watch the show with the intentions of heading back before Peter returned and keeping his butt literally out of harm.

Since he knew this area better than Peter and his team he arrived at the ship their buyer was reported to be sailing from a few minutes ahead of the FBI. It was then that he recognized Cain and also realized he was about to board the ship and before he could stop himself stepped forward to try and delay him only long enough for Peter to arrive.

Neal ran forward not knowing what he was going to say when he got there only to hear "FBI FREEZE!" and watch as Peter and the others of the team rushed the ship where he saw Cain and his goons split up. Neal started after Cain knowing full well that his being there wasn't going to go unnoticed by Peter.

"If I can return with the artifact or Cain maybe Peter won't be too mad at my disobeying him again," Neal thought.

Fortunately for Neal Peter had seen him chase after Cain and followed swiftly vowing to heat a certain CI's backside to inferno stage and by the time he arrived he saw Cain knocked out on the docks and Neal nowhere in sight. He quickly handcuffed him and hurried to the edge of the water where he saw a coat had been flung.

Peter had just picked the coat up and recognized it as Neal's when a head popped up and he looked to see Neal struggling to pull himself out of the water. He had a wooden box in his arms. "NEAL!" Peter called as he pulled the exhausted man up and out of the water so he could collapse on the docks.

"He threw the…artifact…into…the water," gasped Neal as he began to shake from the cold.

Peter promptly pulled the coat over Neal's shoulders as he helped him to stand all the while bellowing Jones and Diana's names until the agents appeared. "Arrest him," he ordered as he pointed to Cain while handing Diana the box containing the artifact,

"and take this into custody…it's evidence against Cain. I'm going to make sure Neal gets home and then I'll be back," Peter informed his agents as he helped Neal to his car. He cranked the heat up as high as he could after depositing Neal into the front seat.

The drive to June's was made in silence as Neal's teeth chattered with cold while Peter looked on with concern. It didn't take them to long before they pulled up in front of June's stately home and Peter hurried to help Neal from the car. He helped him as far as the stairs after the maid let them in. "You need to take a hot shower and then take some aspirin and get to bed," Peter advised only to be ignored by the still exhausted man. "Do you need me to help you?" Peter asked only to be told,

"No, I can take my own clothes off," Neal said as he trudged up the stairs with the intentions of taking a hot shower but only got as far as taking off his clothes and drying off when the door opened and Mozzie appeared with a bottle of wine in hand.

"Neal?" the little man called forcing Neal to slip on a robe and hurrying out to greet his friend. The rest of the evening went into finishing off the bottle of wine before a drunk Neal collapsed on the bed as his friend staggered to the guest room to sleep the wine off.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next morning found Peter in front of June's waiting for Neal to appear but after waiting for ten minutes he decided to check on his friend and found him dressed only in a robe on the bed with an empty wine bottle next to him. That alone clued him of his partner's activities of the night before. It was when he put his hand on him and he felt the heat radiating from him that he knew that Neal hadn't taken his advice and now he was quite sick from his dip in the waters of the Hudson River in December.

The first thing Peter did was to call the office and report that Neal was out indefinitely due to sickness and that he would be in later. He then called his wife,

"El, Neal's sick and June is gone for the week. I'm going to bundle him up and bring him home…he's going to need us to watch over him once again. I'll explain more after we get him into bed," he added before ending the call and turning his attention back to Neal.

"What am I'm going to do with you, buddy?" he muttered under his breath as he began to strip him. It was then that he discovered him in his boxers that he realized that Neal hadn't showered from yesterday's dip in the icy Hudson River.

It didn't take Peter long to strip him completely and redress him in the warmest clothes he could find during which Neal opened his eyes and said, "Peter? Peter I don't feel good," a sign that Peter recognized and quickly got him to the bathroom toilet where Neal promptly threw up.

"You stay here while I pack for you…you are coming home with me so we can watch over you….you need someone and June isn't here," Peter told him in his best stern father voice as he left him hugging the toilet.

It was about an hour later that Peter and Neal drove up and parked in front of their townhouse. Peter was surprised when the door opened and it wasn't his wife who greeted him but his mother.

"Mom? I didn't know you were coming…but I'm glad to see you," he said as he greeted his mother.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind my coming so early for Christmas, but with your dad gone the house is so lonesome in December. Peter had lost his father to a sudden heart attack a few months earlier.

"You know you are welcome whenever you want to come but especially now with Neal so ill," replied Peter as his mother grabbing one side of the young man being supported by her son and between the two of them they got him down the stairs and into the basement room that Peter had done over as an apartment with a separate bathroom.

"El told me about your young CI and that you treat him as part of the family so I'm quite familiar with his antics. We felt he would do better down here and I would be more comfortable upstairs," she explained as they hustled Neal downstairs and on to the bed.

"Mom since you have nursed my siblings and me through so many fool hearted antics that lead to sickness that you will be the perfect person to handle Neal; just consider him another son and treat him accordingly and by that I mean that if he drives you to wanting to take your hand to his bottom for you to do it…El and I have done it on numerous occasions," warned Peter.

"Does it help?" Carolyn Burke asked.

"For as long as it takes for his butt to cool down and sometimes weeks afterwards," replied Peter as they began to get Neal ready for bed. It was during this time that El joined them and asked,

"So what did Neal do this time?"

"Only disobey my orders to stay at the car while we rounded up a suspect. He then proceeded to chase the suspect, Thomas Cain, down and when Cain tried to dispose of the evidence that would convict him by dumping it in the Hudson River Neal dived in and retrieved it. I took him home and told him to take a hot shower before taking two aspirins and going to bed," Peter paused as he helped his mother and El put Neal under the covers. "I found him this morning drunk and still wearing his boxers…so he didn't follow my orders about taking the hot shower…and he wasn't even in bed but sleeping on top. Mozzie, a friend of his, must have come over with the wine and Neal didn't tell him about his dip in the Hudson because Mozzie would have made sure he went to bed," Peter explained as he pulled a rocking chair up next to the bed and sat down.

"His landlady, June, isn't here this week or I would have left him in her care as it is he can't be trusted to take his meds or stay in bed and recover so I brought him home," he added.

"Did you call Kathy?" asked El.

"Yep on the way over here and I told her the short version of what I just told you…she said she would have his medicine sent over and to keep him in bed and to use any method to keep him still and resting. He needs to drink plenty of fluids, too," Peter recited before getting up and quietly leaving his friend resting.

"I've got to get back to work and finish my reports, etc. I'll try and return as soon as I can," he added as he kissed both of the women in his life and left Neal in their capable hands.

It was a few minutes after Peter left that Neal's medicine arrived and when the doorbell rang El went the answer it leaving Carolyn sitting at Neal's bedside. It was about then that Neal started to wake up still feeling the effects of the wine. He woke and finding a strange lady sitting at his bedside asked,

"W-where's P-Peter and who are y-you?"

"Peter had to return to work and I'm Peter's mother, Carolyn. El will be back in a few minutes so you just lie still," she ordered in her best motherly voice.

"I f-feel s-sick!" Neal said as a green hue settled on his face. Carolyn just had enough time to bring a waste basket to his side before he threw up again…it was only dry retching since he had already emptied his stomach at his apartment.

It was then that El came down with medicine in hand. "The directions say that he's supposed to take this every four hours until the fever breaks," as she handed the bottle over to her mother-in-law.

"He's never going to keep these down as long as he is nauseated…you wouldn't happen to have something for the nausea?" asked Carolyn as she looked back at Neal miserably shaking under the covers.

"Kathy also sent these suppositories over to fight the nausea," El whispered in Carolyn's ear. She had an inkling that they would not be welcomed by Neal and they might have a fight on their hands.

Carolyn nodded and approached Neal. "Your medicine has arrived son, but before you can take them to help with your fever and cold you must take something to rid of your nausea…okay?"

Neal nodded as he started to push himself in a sitting position only to be patted on the hand and told, "No sweetie, it wouldn't do any good for you to try and swallow anything, you would only bring it back up before it had a chance to do you some good. So I want you to roll over on your side," she began to explain as if she was talking to a child when Neal said,

"You aren't going to give me a shot!" anxiously.

"No, of course not," Carolyn said as Neal relaxed momentarily, "I'm going to insert this suppository into your rectum so it can melt within your body and the nausea medicine can be absorbed into your system and soon the nausea will be gone and you can take your other medicine and get better," she added quickly.

Neal who hadn't followed much of the conversation had started to roll over as he was told. It wasn't until he felt his pajama pants being pushed down that the rest of the statement caught up with him and he cried,

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and began to struggle.

It only took two hard smacks to his backside for Neal to quiet down…that and what Carolyn added afterwards,

"Do you really want me to add to your discomfort Neal? I would imagine that dealing with a fever, cold and nausea would be enough for anyone but if you don't calm down and do as I say you will have a sore bottom as well."

Neal nodded and allowed the suppository to be inserted thinking that it would only be that once when Carolyn added sternly,

"Now you will be getting more during the rest of the day to be sure that the nausea is gone."

Neal didn't reply but rolled back on his back and took his medicine without complaint but vowing he would make those embarrassing suppositories disappear as soon as Carolyn's back was turned.

"Carolyn, the delivery boy said that it looks like the weather is going to turn nasty…I'm going to go out and stock up on supplies. Will you be able to handle Neal while I'm gone," El asked as she prepared to go back upstairs.

"If you will stay with him for a moment while I get something; then I can guarantee that Neal will behave like an angel," she said as she darted back up the stairs leaving Neal and El alone.

"Oh Sweetie, try and behave…she already loves you like a son and will have no trouble treating you like one. Peter said that his mother was a force to be dealt with when she was in mother mode," El warned as she bent down and kissed Neal on the forehead.

Neal nodded but before he could say anything Carolyn had returned and Neal's eyes widened drastically when he saw what she was carrying…a hairbrush with a handle.

"I used this on Peter enough times while he was growing up and he will tell you that it packs a mighty sting when applied to your backside Neal; but you need to take your medicine so you can get over this and if I have to use this constantly to make sure that you mind I will."

El smiled and left vowing to hurry back as soon as possible and dreading the thought that when she returned Neal's bottom would be very sore. He had met his match in Carolyn.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Before leaving El had made sure that Neal had taken his medicine feeling better about leaving a sleeping Neal alone with Carolyn instead of an awaken one. She hoped it would keep him out of trouble but as soon as she left Neal secretly spit out the capsule he had faked swallowing waiting his chance to get rid of the hated suppository that he had been given for the nausea.

Neal also faked falling asleep in hopes that Carolyn would leave him alone long enough so he could get rid of them for good and after thirty minutes he was rewarded when he heard his babysitter quietly leave. He guessed she would return and was only going to be gone for a few minutes so after a couple of minutes Neal opened his eyes and surveyed the room and not finding Peter's mom carefully got up.

He was a little weak and that made the journey to the bathroom with the package of suppositories he had discovered on the table next to the rocker. He was thinking that this was a piece of cake when he heard, "NEAL CAFFREY…FREEZE!" coming from the bottom of the stairs and turned to find Carolyn Burke there with a cup of tea, he supposed, in her hand.

"I had to go to the bathroom," he lied forgetting that he had evidence of his deceit in his hand.

"UMMMPH," Carolyn muttered out loud as she quickly set her cup down on the table before moving to his side and grabbing the package out of his hand. "And what exactly were you going to do with this?" she asked sternly.

"I was starting to feel a little sick and thought to give myself another dose," Neal continued to lie.

"There is no need for you to do it for yourself when I'm here….now go and climb back into bed and get on your side…I'll just pull down your pajama bottoms and insert another one in," she said smoothly as she called his bluff, but when she checked her watch she discovered that it was time for another dose.

"You know I'm feeling so much better now," Neal added as she scurried back under the covers before Carolyn might be tempted to use her hairbrush on his bottom.

"Neal…you lied to me and I'm like Peter on the issue of lying. You can expect a spanking just as soon as you get over your cold…I won't be adding heat to an already warm body but I don't want you to think that you have gotten away from this without some type of punishment…so you can just pull off your pajama bottoms and hand them over to me…I think I will keep you bottomless until either El or Peter return. You my dear can't be trusted to be alone without being naughty.

"NO! I won't do it!" declared Neal as he glared at Carolyn.

"Son, we can either do this the hard and embarrassing way or the easy way…it's up to you which way this occurs but when it is all over with you will be bottomless in that bed…or you will be sporting an handprint on your bottom!" she threatened in her no-nonsense voice as she glared back.

Neal stood fast in his decision that is until he saw her approach with a determined look on her face and quickly did as he was told, handing his pajama bottoms to her. Unfortunately for Neal it was then that she saw the capsule he was to have taken an hour ago on the floor.

"You purposely didn't take your medicine and have earned yourself another spanking. I want to know why?" she asked dangerously.

"I knew it would make me sleep and I had to be awake if I was to…." replied Neal as he left the other part off.

"You wanted to be able to get rid of the nausea medicine?" Carolyn completed.

Neal nodded," I should have taken it since my plan failed," Neal concluded as he really started to feel bad.

"We can take care of that now…where are you hurting?" Carolyn asked in full mother mode.

"My stomach, head…everywhere," admitted Neal with a groan.

Carolyn quickly and before he even knew what was happening, pushed him on his side and inserted another suppository before hurrying to the bathroom for some water and another capsule which Neal gratefully took without argument before lying back down and closing his eyes. Carolyn returned a moment later with a thermometer to take his temperature and found that he was sporting one of 102 degrees.

It didn't take her long to get a cold washcloth to put on his forehead in an attempt to bring the fever down. She also had on hand Tylenol which she was prepared to hand out if the fever didn't start to drop soon.

When El pulled up in front of their townhouse she was thrilled to see that her husband had arrived too. She had bought a lot of supplies and it was starting to snow…she would need his help if they were going to beat the weather before the storm that was predicted got worse.

"I don't know why you are here early but your timing couldn't have been any better," El said as she greeted Peter.

"Hughes sent everyone but a skeleton crew home once he learned the possible severity of the storm. How's Neal?" he replied as he took the bags that were offered.

"I left him with your Mom…I hope he's in one piece," she said with a smile.

"His medicine was delivered soon after you left and the delivery boy told me about the storm. I knew with the two extra mouths I had better stock up so I left your mom to take care of Neal," she explained as she grabbed two bags and followed Peter in.

"Honey, I'll get the rest of the bags in; why don't you go and check on Neal and Mom and find out just how much trouble he's in," Peter said with a smile as he put the two bags he was carrying down in the kitchen and headed out to unload his wife's car.

El tiptoed down the stairs to find Carolyn in the rocker next to Neal's bed reading a book and sipping tea and the sick boy was sleeping soundly with the covers pulled up tight.

"How is he?" she asked in a quiet voice not wanting to wake the boy.

Carolyn looked up and motioned for El to go back upstairs as he followed.

"He's better now after finally taking his medicine," she admitted as Peter came in with another load. He paused to get the details knowing that the groceries left in the car were in no danger of thawing out.

"What do you mean…I saw you give him his pill before I left," El said with confusion in her voice.

"Why didn't he take it, Mom?" asked Peter cutting to the chase.

"He was waiting for me to leave him alone so he could dispose of the suppositories the doctor sent for his nausea," replied Carolyn.

"So he faked taking the medicine…and his sleeping so you would leave him long enough so he could get rid of the medicine…did he succeed?" Peter asked.

"Nope I caught him before he could even get to the bathroom," replied Carolyn with a chuckle. "And then he lied to me twice about why he was up and what he was going to do with the medicine."

"So you spanked him," replied Peter.

"Nope…but he has earned two spankings from me once he gets over his cold. I won't be putting extra heat into his feverish body…but as soon after he is over his cold he's in for two spankings and when I'm finished he won't be sitting comfortably for some time. No, I didn't spank him this time but I did punish him nonetheless by depriving him of his pajama bottoms. At least this way he can't get up unless I know about it and hand him his robe," admitted Carolyn as Peter broke out in laughter.

"Neal has never had the pleasure of having a mother who cared for him as a child. El and June do the best they can for him and have on occasions warmed his backside for him when he has endangered himself. The last time El had to mother him was when he became anemic and refused to follow the good doctor's instructions on what he was to eat and not drink. She warmed his bottom up a few times before it was all over with. It is good that you are here this time Mom.

He can really benefit from your motherly and caring ways…between you and El Neal will recover much quicker than on his own and Mom beware; Neal is a very accomplished con man and will try and sweet talk you into anything," Peter warned as he headed back out into the storm for the remainder of the supplies and groceries.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When Neal awoke next he was surprised to find himself alone, except for Satch who ever so faithful was lying beside his bed. Neal looked around the room before deciding to try and get up on his on again. "Now where did she hide those

embarrassing…." Neal thought when a voice boomed from the direction of the staircase.

"Get back in bed, Neal!"

Neal looked up to find Peter standing there with a cup of coffee in his hand. "I need to go to the bathroom, Peter," he lied convincingly as he tottered toward the bathroom.

Peter didn't look convinced but allowed his friend to go ahead. "If you are looking for the suppositories…Mom has them. She's learned that the best place to keep them is in her pocket." His statement caused Neal to pause before going ahead.

"Dammed foiled again," he thought as he closed the door making sure to flush the toilet before coming back out a few minutes later to find Peter sitting in the rocker sipping his coffee.

"I'm your babysitter for the time being," Peter informed Neal as he looked at him curiously.

"I don't need a babysitter!" groused Neal as he began to cough.

"You don't? You have already earned yourself two spankings from Mom; just think of how many you would have acquired if she hadn't been sitting here taking care of you," replied Peter as he helped Neal sit up and offered him a sip of water when he stopped.

"Is this the first time you've coughed?" Peter asked with concern.

Neal nodded, "at least this bad…the other times it has been only a cough or two."

"You stay here; I'll be right back!" ordered Peter as he hopped up and went up the stairs only to return a moment later with his Mom.

"He was coughing a few minutes ago…they sounded painful even to my ears," he added.

Carolyn moved over to Neal and lovingly laid her hand on his forehead to discover that the fever had risen. "Peter he needs another dose…it's those pills in the blue bottle," she instructed as held out her hand.

Peter obediently handed her the pill bottle and watched as she shook out the dose before handing them to Neal. Neal, having learned not to anger his caretaker swallowed them completely with several swallows of water.

"Open your mouth!" ordered Carolyn as she was going to make sure that he had swallowed the pills that time. Neal grimaced but obeyed.

"You know I'm not ten," complained Neal as he snuggled back under the covers.

"I don't know…I think you act more like a ten year old than an adult," replied

Peter with a smile.

"Peter….don't give your mother any ideas," whined Neal as he began to cough again.

Peter exchanged a look with his Mom before pulling Neal up to ease his coughing and after a few minutes it did and Neal sunk exhaustedly back as his cold medicine began to take effect and he drifted off to sleep.

"Mom…he needs that special cough medicine that you make. I know it taste awful but it really works and the weather is too bad to try and have something sent out," whispered Peter, just in case Neal was faking sleeping. It wouldn't do for his friend to learn that the remedy didn't taste good or they would have trouble getting the first dose down his throat. That would come afterwards…after

Neal took the first dose.

"You continue to watch him while I get a supply ready," Carolyn whispered back and went back upstairs to make her cough remedy. She knew that Elizabeth would have the ingredients she would need.

When Neal woke again it was due to a coughing spell and he was gasping for air by the time he stopped and that only happened after Peter was able to pull him into a sitting position.

"T-Thanks, Pe-ter," Neal gasped a moment later.

"Neal, I want you to take a spoonful of this," Peter said as he poured from a brown bottle sitting next to the rocker.

"W-what is it?" asked Neal as he started to get his breathing back.

"Cough syrup," replied Peter as he decided not to tell him that it was a recipe his Mom had used on him and his siblings.

Neal nodded, thinking that it was something the doctor had sent. He watched as a thick liquid poured out and filled a tablespoon which Peter held. "Now you need to swallow it all," instructed Peter as he approached his friend.

Neal opened his mouth but soon regretted it after Peter emptied the contents

into his mouth. It tasted awful and it was only because of the glare that Peter was giving him that he swallowed at all.

"Dr. Madison sent that?" Neal asked as he tried to wipe the residue from his mouth with a Kleenex.

"Nope…you weren't coughing when I talked to the doctor so she didn't send anything for a cough. This is a time honored recipe that my Mom has used through our childhood and it works as long as you take it every few hours," replied Peter. "I know it doesn't taste good but the important thing is that it does work."

"Ugh…what's in it?" asked Neal.

"I don't think that you knowing it will help you swallow it anymore," replied Peter honestly.

"Peter!"

Peter nodded and replied, "This is the recipe Mom uses. Take raw onions and extract the juice before chopping them as fine as possible, then mix the mixture with honey and lemon juice. One tablespoon every three hours until the coughing is under control and then take three times daily to keep it in check."

"I'm not taking that!" cried Neal once he heard the ingredients.

"You will take it or I will be adding to the spankings you have already earned. You have two waiting…do you really want me to add another?" ordered Carolyn Burke as she came down to check on her patient. "I remember that it only took one of my spankings to get Peter to take my cough medicine when he was a boy," she added with a smile towards her son.

"And I can tell you that her spankings are very memorable," Peter frowned at the memory.

"But that stuff tastes terrible," whined Neal.

"But it works, son," Carolyn said as she softened her voice while laying her hand

on his forehead. "Good the fever is going down. How do you feel, Neal?"

"Better," admitted Neal, "except when I cough. I am getting hungry though," he added after his stomach growled.

"I'll go and get El to fix him something safe," offered Peter as he left his friend in his mother's capable hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Mrs. Burke," began Neal only to be interrupted,

"Neal please just call me Mom; I consider you a wayward son," Carolyn said to the

younger man.

"Won't Peter get upset? You are actually his mother?"

"Nope, it won't bother me in the least; I consider you a pesky younger brother most of the time if not a son, who needs a firm hand," replied Peter as he slowly made his way down the stairs.

Neal blushed with the statement of the 'firm hand' but pleased how Peter's family felt about him. "I would be honored to call you Mom," he told Carolyn and then groaned saying; "now I have three surrogate mothers…I'll never be able to sit comfortably again."

"Neal all you have to do is stay out of trouble and your mothers won't be so quickl to take you in hand," replied Peter with a knowing smile.

"That's easy for you to say; I wasn't brought up that way," complained Neal.

"But as long as you are my son, you will learn to be honest," warned Carolyn with a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes ma'am. Now to get back to what I wanted to ask you in the beginning. What did Peter do to get a spanking for not taking the syrup?"

"NEAL!"

Neal turned a smiling face towards Peter and said, "I was just curious; I didn't think you ever did anything wrong."

"Who told you that Peter never did anything wrong growing up?" asked Carolyn.

"Well, he seldom gets into trouble now; I just assumed that it was the same when he was young."

"You want to know why I seldom get into trouble as an adult," Peter directed his question to Neal. "It is because I learned as a child that the consequences weren't nice and sometimes can be downright painful…this is something you have yet to learn."

"Peter, tell him what happened with the cough syrup," requested his mother. "It might keep him from following the same route and getting his third spanking once he recovers. I'll just go upstairs and help El with his meal," she added as she walked up the stairs.

"You really want to know?" queried Peter.

Neal nodded and looked expectantly as Peter made himself comfortable in the rocker. "I must have been around ten when I got a bad cough. I tried for days to

keep from coughing around Mom because I knew as soon as she knew I would have to take that nasty cough medicine she made. My big brother Tom warned me about it, but eventually I was unable to keep it a secret from her one night when she came in to tell me goodnight. She then quizzed me about it and when she learned that I had been hiding it from her she wasn't happy," Peter grimaced at the memory.

Peter remembered the incident as if it happened yesterday. He was lying in bed and feeling so bad trying to keep from coughing out loud when, "You know Mom is going to find out that you are coughing," Tom said as he came into the room set aside for treating the sick.

"But her cough medicine taste so bad," whined ten year old Peter before launching into a nasty cough.

"Yeah; you would think that as often she has to give it to us she could add more honey to it," replied Tom wishfully.

"I put in as much as I can, son," replied their mom who had just walked in and then turning to her young son she scolded,

"and you should have told me that you were coughing. How long have you been trying to hide it?"

"Only a day, Mom," replied Peter as he launched into another spell.

"Tom, hurry and get me the bottle and a tablespoon; your brother is going to need a double dose to get that cough under control," ordered Carolyn as she hurried to Peter's side and pulled him up into a sitting position to help ease the coughing.

It was only a few minutes later that the coughing stopped; just about the same time the bottle of homemade cough syrup arrived. Peter watched as his mother poured the syrup into a tablespoon and approached him with it.

"I was nasty, wasn't it?" asked Neal as he broke into Peter's remembering.

Peter nodded, "and I fought her so much that she ended up spilling it on me to such an extent that I had to change my pajamas."

Peter blushed as recalled what happened next - the cough syrup was all over his pajamas and as he hurried to get out of them since the smell was just about as bad as the taste his mother upended him and spanked him.

"What happened Peter; you are blushing," asked Neal?

"She spanked me as I was in the process of changing pajamas," replied Peter as

he remembered exactly what happened. "It's all over my pajamas and it smells terrible Mom," Peter said as he jumped out of bed to prevent the stuff from getting on his sheets.

"And whose fault is that," replied Carolyn as she quickly handed him a clean pair.

Peter grabbed them and hurriedly pull is top off and then his pajama pants but before he could pull them up he felt his mom pull him over her lap.

"Noooo…I'm sorry…I won't do it again," he pleaded as he felt the first lick fall on his bare bottom. "Ow…ow…ow….mom…owww…owwww…owww...owww…

I'm…sorry," before it finally came to an end and he was allowed to pull up his pajama bottoms and scoot under the covers.

"Now take your medicine unless you want me to add to the warmness in your bottom and Peter hurriedly opened his mouth and swallowed the cough syrup before laying back down on his side to rest.

"I take it that your fighting her was your first mistake?" asked Neal.

Peter nodded, "and my second mistake was while I was still crying from the pain in my backside I thought that it would be a good idea to get rid of that nasty stuff. I went to sleep planning it and woke that I would wait until after Mom went to feed the animals, we lived on a farm when I was growing up."

"I take it that it didn't work?"

"No; what I didn't realize that the ingredients were so easy to come by all Mom needed to do was make more…which she did when she noticed that the bottle it was in was found broken in the trash."

"She spanked you for that?"

"She spanked me for breaking her favorite container. It had originally been a gift from a close friend and had contained honey. The container was very decorative and Mom had loved it and now thanks to me it was broken. After that I decided that taking the medicine was the least painful part of the cough and if I were you I would do the same now," Peter said seriously as he finished his tale.

Neal nodded his agreement but it was only an act. "I just won't get caught and I'll go the next step and get rid of the onions…lemons and honey aren't that bad it must be the onion that make it taste so badly," he thought just as El brought down a tray filled with soup and sandwiches for them all to enjoy. Carolyn followed behind closely with a tray filled with hot cups of tea and coffee.

"I thought we would keep Neal company and have our lunch with him," El informed the two in the basement.

It was during lunch that Neal started coughing again that Carolyn decided to strengthen her cough remedy by adding the juice of garlic and ginger to it. It only took one spoonful to make Neal decide that at the first opportunity he would act in getting rid of the intensely nasty stuff; he had rather cough then take any more of the Burke Coughing Syrup.

Neal suffered through two more doses before he was able to put his plan into action. It was two o'clock and he laid back down telling Peter that he was going to try and get some sleep now that his coughing had eased. Peter had nodded and waited beside the bed while Neal closed his eyes and pretended to go to sleep. Desperation being a good teacher he had succeeded in convincing Peter that he had in fact fallen asleep and heard his friend quietly leave his room. He waited five minutes after hearing his footsteps on the stairs before slowly raising up to survey what he hoped to be an empty room and breathed a sigh of relief to discover that he was right.

Neal slowly scooted to the edge of the bed slipping his feet into the slippers and grabbing a robe lying at the end of the bed. It wouldn't do for him to be discovered out of bed without slippers on his feet or his wearing a robe. Neal silently went up the stairs pausing at the top to check and see where his keepers were. He was nearly ecstatic to find them all in the living room. Peter was in his recliner watching a ball game and dozing; El was sipping a cup of tea reading her newest mystery and Carolyn, his newest surrogate mother, was doing some sort of needle craft. Satchmo was even lying quietly at El's feet. He loved the dog but didn't want him around to alert the others that he might be up.

Neal gathered his nerve and after casting a glance into the living room one last time he made his way into the kitchen where he hurried to the refrigerator and found the nasty stuff in a bottle on the door next to the salad dressings and jellies. He grabbed it up and after rummaging through the vegetable storage departments found the onions. The garlic and ginger were in a bowl on the second shelf. He took little time in placing all the found in a small plastic bag and

tiptoeing to the back door but in his haste to get out he accidently pushed in the lock on the door's handle and locked it. He was outside and down the stairs when the door closed and locked him outside in the cold. Neal breathed a sigh of relief when he placed the small bag in the large garbage can beside the back gate but began to shiver as the cold wind blew through the light weight robe he was wearing causing him to hurry back. He had his hand on the door knob already envisioning his warm bed when he realized that it wouldn't open and came to the conclusion that he was trapped outside and in a load of trouble.

Neal opened his mouth to call for help when he began to cough as he banged on the door but the others didn't hear him due to the volume Peter had the game tuned to. But fortunately Satch did hear and began to bark alerting El who only thought that the yellow lab needed to go out and stood up to do just that.

"You had better hurry back Satch, it is real nasty out there," she said conversationally as the dog hurried to the back door. She was surprised that before Satch could go out Neal hurried in still coughing.

"NEAL! What were you doing outside?" she asked as she hurried to his side.

Carolyn and Peter heard the commotion in the kitchen and hurried to find out what was going on. As they got closer they could hear the coughing and knew that it was Neal. "What is he doing out of bed?" asked Carolyn as he walked into

the room and headed straight for the refrigerator to get out her cough syrup.

She paused when it wasn't where she left it and turning to her son she said, "He's hidden it somewhere."

Peter nodded and began to look around the kitchen; it was then that he noticed that Neal was shivering and put two and two together. "Neal was outside, wasn't he?" he asked his wife.

She nodded, "Satch must have heard him and that is why he wanted to go out. As soon as I opened the door Neal slipped in; he must have locked himself out somehow."

Peter glanced at his friend who finally got his coughing under control before glancing outside to see footprints in the snow leading to the garbage cans near the back gate and hurried to the hall closest to get his warm coat before going out to retrieve the cough syrup Neal must have thrown out.

He was gone for only a moment and when he returned he was carrying a small bag which he handed to his mother who was glaring angrily at Neal. "He not only

threw out the cough syrup but some of the ingredients to keep you from making more," he informed the angry woman.

"Neal, it looks like you are going to experience the same discussion Peter did when he was a boy," Carolyn said as she held a tablespoon of the cough syrup to his mouth. He wisely opened up and swallowed the nasty stuff before whining,'

"But I'm too cold."

"That's okay dear; what I have in mind will warm you up nicely, "Carolyn said as she added,

"Peter would you be so kind as to fetch my hairbrush; I want to introduce Neal to its punishing powers when I apply it liberally to his bottom."

When Neal heard that he began to shake his head violently, "No…that isn't necessary. Haven't I been punished enough when I swallowed the cough syrup?"

"You don't know what punishment is until Mom has taken you in hand," replied Peter as he handed his mother the hairbrush.

Carolyn grabbed Neal by his ear and propelled him towards the basement stairs saying, "Now my dear you have an appointment with my hairbrush," and gave him a mighty swat to hurry him on.

"OWWWW!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Neal I am very disappointed that you choose to put yourself in harm not once but twice in the same day," lectured Carolyn.

"No…you don't understand. That cough syrup was awful; all I did was to throw it out," Neal hastened to explain as he kept his butt out of Carolyn's reach.

"And in doing so you took away the only thing I have to treat your cough. I know it doesn't taste good but it does work if you just give it time. I'm sure that Peter has told you that…maybe when he told you about his experience with my hairbrush for doing much the same thing you have done."

"Yeah…he told me but it tasted terrible. He told me that taking the medicine was the least painful part of having a cough," replied Neal.

"And you decided to test me to see if I would punish you like I did Peter?" asked Carolyn.

"No…I thought I could do it and not get caught," Neal admitted, "and I would have if I hadn't gotten locked out it the cold."

"And that was your second time in putting yourself in harm!"

"I didn't do it on purpose," argued Neal.

"I know that my dear; but you did have to go out in the cold and damp weather to

dispose of the syrup and the ingredients and right after you had just gotten over your fever; in my book that was endangering your life and I'm going to give you such a hiding that you won't ever consider doing it again," promised Carolyn as she started towards Neal who backed up until he backed into the wall.

Carolyn then walked over and grasping his ear again pulled him towards the only table in the room. "Now drop your pants and lean over; your bare bottom and my hairbrush have an appointment to meet and it will be very a memorable meeting."

Neal blushed at the thought of being paddled on the butt by Carolyn Burke and shook his head; but before he had a chance to tell her 'No!" he found himself bottomless and leaning against the table.

Carolyn then pulled the robe away leaving Neal's bare bottom showing much to Neal's embarrassment. "I won't do it again," he cried as the hairbrush began its journey downward. A moment later Neal felt the sting and cried out with a

"Yeowwwch," followed soon afterwards with two more cries of pain as the hairbrush began a steady rhythm against his buttocks.

"Neal don't lie to your mother; you know you will try it again if I can't convince you otherwise," Carolyn said as she continued to punish Neal's backside with her strong and quick swats. She used the three to one area technique that Neal was familiar with; since it was the same method Peter sometimes used to correct his behavior.

As his backside began to heat up Neal's pleas for mercy continued with frequency interspersed with his cries of pain until he began to sob his heart out so much so that he wasn't aware that Carolyn had stopped or pulled him into her arms for comfort patting his back until he ceased to cry.

"I'm sorry that I had to punish you so harshly son; but I love you too much to allow that sort of behavior from you. Peter told me that you never learned the things he had while growing up and now I see that I must teach them to you now and endangering your life and lying to me are two big no-no's in my book and when you do either you will be punished severely," she said comfortingly as she pulled his pajama pants back up and led him to his bed.

"Scoot in and rest; you've had a hard lesson to learn and for your sake I hope it is a lesson that won't need repeating but rest assured that if it does it will be handled in the same way by Peter, El or me…we are your family Neal and we care about you and will do anything to keep you save and out of prison…of that you can be sure of," she explained caringly sitting down in the rocker to watch as he drifted off lying on his side with his smoking backside to keep him warm.

Peter was on duty when Neal woke during the night unable to breathe and coughing bad enough for Peter to get his Mom. "I'm sorry to wake you Mom, but Neal says that he can't breathe and he's started coughing again. I'll get the cough syrup while you look in on him," he added as he left her to get the medicine Neal hated so badly.

"I'm afraid he's caught a cold on top of the coughing most likely from his trip outside this afternoon. He's congested…do you know if you have any Vicks' vapor rub?" Carolyn asked as she prepared to do battle with Neal's cold.

Peter shook his head and headed upstairs to ask El and came back minutes later with El to say, "El found some in the back of our medicine cabinet…will it do?"

Carolyn quickly took the proffered jar and opened it relieved to find that it was still soft and hadn't dried up. "It will do nicely for the time being but I'm going to have to come up with more of my home remedies to fight the cold and any complications that come along with it. My main concern for the moment is breaking up his congestion," replied Carolyn thoughtfully.

"Peter, if you wouldn't mind going upstairs to my room and bringing me my red notebook; it's by my night stand. I'm sure that between Elizabeth and me we can come up with something to take care of Neal.

Neal started to look concerned as he listened to Carolyn and cried out, "Pweter…don't lwet Mom do this to me" as he began to cough again which only got him another dose of syrup during which Peter ran up the stairs for his mother's remedy notebook. He knew this wasn't going to be pleasant for Neal but he also knew that Neal had no say so in the matter. His mom was going to take care of him whether he liked it or not. He would just have to suffer through it like everybody else in the family had done whenever they got sick.

While Peter was gone El and Carolyn turned to Neal and quickly pulled his pajama top up and applied a generous amount of the vapor rub to his chest. Neal took a sniff and tried to turn away. "It's too strong," he whined.

"Neal, behave," ordered Carolyn as she continued to work over him.

"Neal, this will help you breathe better," El said gently as she tried to comfort him.

"I don't feel good, El," Neal said pitifully.

"I know baby; but lie still and give this a chance?" she asked as she continued to try and comfort him and after a while Neal was able to breathe easier and laid back.

"It will be easier on him if he was propped up and not lying flat," suggested El as Peter came back with the book which he handed to his mother.

"Peter can you go and get us some more pillows…it will help Neal breathe easier if he isn't lying flat on his back," El asked quietly and Peter found himself running back up the stairs for the pillows.

He returned in a few minutes with two large pillows, "Will these be enough?" he asked as he handed the pillows to his wife. "I can always get some more."

"No they should do the job; now if you will just help us get him situated we can see if he can drift back to sleep," Carolyn requested and between the three of them they were able to do that and Neal indeed was able to sleep.

After watching the younger man sleep peacefully Peter turned back to his wife and mother, "Look I'll stay down here with Neal; why don't you two try and get some sleep…I feel we are going to need it in the days to come," and watched as they went back upstairs to their own beds to get some well needed sleep since they had the same beliefs as Peter about the upcoming days of taking care of Neal.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

When El came down early the next morning to check on Neal she found that not only was Neal showing signs of his fever returning but that her husband was also feverish.

"Oh no, not you too Peter," she murmured as she laid her hand on his forehead and felt the heat radiating from it. "Your mom is going to have her hands full with you as well as Neal," and darted back upstairs to get her mother-in-law.

You say that Peter is feverish, too?" asked Carolyn as she accompanied El back downstairs.

"Yes…you don't think they have the flu, do you?" El asked worriedly.

"Well, it is going around. Did Peter or Neal take a flu shot this year as a preventive?"

"I know that Peter had an appointment to get one last week, but I don't know if he actually did," replied El as she looked lovingly at Peter.

"What about Neal?"

"I doubt it; he has a thing against shots or even going to the doctor. The last time Peter had to take him was because he became anemic. He was a handful that time but we managed to nurse him back to health; of course we had to persuade him to follow the doctor's orders to the seat of his britches on more than one occasion," El said as she remembered the last time Neal was recuperating at their house.

"El? I don't feel good," Peter said weakly as he woke to find his mother and wife both downstairs.

"I know honey; I'm afraid that you have whatever Neal has," El said gently. "I'm going to get your pajamas, robe and slippers…you are staying down here with Neal," she added firmly as she headed for the stairs.

Peter was beyond caring about where just as long as he could lie down and get some relief from the pounding in his head. "Whatever you say, hon."

"Peter, did you take a flu shot last week?" asked his mother.

"No, but I meant to. We had a case that took preference over it. Is that what I have?" replied Peter.

"Maybe…what are your symptoms?"

"I'm cold, I hurt all over, I'm so tired all of a sudden and I feel the urge to cough," replied Peter.

"El says that you also have fever," added his mom.

"I feel the same as Peter," Neal's said from the bed as he looked wide-eyed at Peter and Carolyn.

"Well, it looks like my two boys have the flu or at least several symptoms connected to the flu. El and I will have our hands full in taking care of you two. Neal did you get a flu shot this year or were you like my son and forgot?" Carolyn asked the young man in bed.

"I didn't forget; I don't like shots," replied Neal, "I didn't have one."

"Well, you will next year or feel my hairbrush against your backside," she said sternly as she glanced at both Neal ad Peter.

El returned at that moment carrying Peter's nightclothes and helped him to the bathroom so he could change. They emerged a moment later and she helped him

into bed next to Neal.

"I brought this for you Carolyn, "El said as she handed over her mother-n-law's remedies book.

"Thank you dear; I think you had better bring down my cough syrup and two tablespoons…these two are going to be in need of it soon," she said as she watched her two boys. They were clearly fighting the urge to cough but she knew it wouldn't last for long.

El smiled as she went back upstairs returning just as the coughing began. "I'll take care of Peter," she said as she poured a liberal dose before handing the bottle over to Carolyn who did the same for Neal and as soon as the coughing stopped Peter and Neal took their medicine.

"Ugh, I don't remember it tasting that bad when I was a boy, Mom," Peter said after swallowing the thick liquid.

"That's probably the added ingredients of garlic and ginger," quipped Neal as he laid his head wearily down.

"Mom, will you and El be okay taking care of Neal and me?" asked Peter with concern.

"I'm fine; unlike you I took a flu shot this year," replied Carolyn.

"As did I," added El, "so don't worry we are quite safe as we care for our boys."

The rest of the morning was spent as the two ladies tried their best to see to the comfort of their sick boys. They brought pillows for Peter so he could prop up in bed to make breathing much easier. The only problem they had was when it came to take their temperatures. Everything was going fine until it was discovered that the battery had run out in the electronic thermometer and Carolyn was forced to bring out the old fashioned one…a rectal thermometer and both Peter and Neal refused to even consider letting Carolyn or El take it.

"Boys! You will do as I say…NOW!" ordered Carolyn as she glared at Peter and Neal in turn.

Peter had the good sense to agree as he nodded and lowered his eyes at his mother's angry countenance. "It's okay dear, I'll take care of it," promised El as she took the prepared thermometer and gently inserted it within her husband and kept it there for four minutes before taking it out and reading the results. "Peter's temperature is 101.2, Carolyn," she said as she took the thermometer to the bathroom the clean it for its next use.

"Here," El said as she handed it to Carolyn to use on Neal, who for some reason

didn't seem to be fighting against its use.

"How did you manage to get him to agree?" El whispered.

"It's amazing how placing my hairbrush next to his nightstand can make him very agreeable to everything I ask," replied Carolyn with a smile. A moment later she announced, "Neal's temperature is 101.1. It's time to get their temps down…do you have any Tylenol El?"

"Yes, I bought a whole new bottle of extra strength Tylenol the other day," she replied as she went to get it and soon a regiment of two Tylenol every four hours was put into action.

"If that doesn't work then we need to cool them down. If you don't mind staying with them while I whip up some homemade remedies we can get started with them as well," asked Carolyn as she left to prepare what Peter and Neal knew was going to be some nastier tasting remedies. The battle was about to start.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Open wide," ordered Carolyn as she approached Neal with a spoonful of some sort of liquid.

Neal realizing immediately that it would probably taste as bad as the cough syrup unwisely shook his head and kept his mouth closed.

"You might as well do as she says," Peter said knowing what the outcome would be, "you will be taking it in the end but you will also have a sore bottom to boot."

"You be the brave one Peter and take this dose instead; I've got plenty made for the two of you," Carolyn added as she leaned over Neal to give the dose to Peter who resigned to his fate opened his mouth and swallowed quickly.

"Wow, Mom, you've out did yourself with this one…it doesn't taste bad at all," he lied with a smile on his face to con the con.

When Neal saw and heard that he tentatively opened his mouth as well. Carolyn lost little time in dumping another large spoonful of the medicine in his mouth and goosed him to get him to swallow.

Neal's eyes got large as the taste hit him on the way down and as soon as he could he cried out, "You lied to me!"

"No I conned you into taking Mom's medicine, how does it feel to be conned Neal?"

"Can't you put more honey into it to sweeten it more Mom," he whined?

Sorry son, that's not what the recipe calls for…you are going to have to cowboy up and take your medicine so you will get over this as soon as possible," replied

Carolyn with a smile on her face.

Neal gave her a weak smile as El came down to check on them as well; it was then that Neal's smile disappeared when Peter whispered in his ear, "You just wait until we get all better buddy, I'm going to bust your butt for this," threatened Peter seriously.

"Mom," whined Neal pitifully, "Peter is going to spank me when I get better."

Carolyn and El approached the pair and El said, "Peter is just teasing you dear."

"No I'm not," replied Peter firmly. "He's the reason I'm in bed and taking Mom's terrible medicines, no offense Mom," he added with a smile.

Carolyn just smiled at the reference to her medicine, she knew that they tasted bad but they did work and that was all that mattered to her. Then she turned serious as she said, "Peter isn't going to spank you Neal;" all the while glaring at her child until he nodded.

"Thank you Mom."

"It really would be redundant for Peter to spank you Neal," she added conversationally.

"Redundant?" Neal asked fearfully.

Carolyn nodded and continued, "I mean what would be the point since I plan on doing the same just as soon as you are well."

"Why?"

"For not taking care of yourself and getting sick, son I didn't birth," replied Carolyn seriously. "You had plenty of time to get a flu shot which would have prevented you from getting sick or at least not as bad. I bet next year you won't forget to get one."

"And what are you looking so smug and self-righteous about Peter Burke," El said as she noticed her husband's features.

"El!"

Carolyn then focused her attention on Peter. "I saw your expression as well…you are just as guilty as Neal for not getting a flu shot. I plan on taking my hair brush to your backside as well. You two will be taking your meals standing up for a few days."

"But I did make an appointment for a flu shot; I told you that a hot case turned up and I had to cancel. I was planning on rescheduling later," Peter argued.

"Peter I have been nagging you for weeks to get one; in fact you could have gone the same day as I did but you were too busy watching a game to get up and go," El said angrily.

"Whose side are you on," groused Peter as she saw the anger in his mom's eyes when she heard that and knew he was doomed to the same fate as Neal.

El looked lovingly at her husband before answering, "I'm on whosoever side that will keep you safe…the both of you and if it takes your mother's hairbrush to accomplish that then I'm on her side. Don't worry honey I'll make sure that there are soft pillows in your chairs so you both can sit to enjoy my meals."

"Thanks," Peter replied before turning to Neal and declaring, "This is all of your fault…if you hadn't gotten sick none of this would have happened and we both wouldn't be looking forward to a spanking from Mom!"

"It's not; you probably got infected from the same person I did…or maybe it was you that I got the bug from," Neal replied as he stuck his tongue out in Peter's direction causing both El and Carolyn to laugh at the childish behavior.

"Now do you understand me when I say that Neal is just a big kid under an

Armani suit?" Peter said seriously.

"He certainly acts like it at times," Carolyn agreed as she leaned over and gave Neal a kiss on his cheek. "He's just hasn't completely grown up yet but that is what makes him so loveable and brings out my mother side."

"Where are you going?" asked Neal as he saw the two ladies head upstairs.

"To get your lunch ready," replied El.

"And I had better not hear any bickering between the two of you when I return," warned Carolyn seriously.

"Yes ma'am," replied Peter.

"What happens if you do?" asked Neal.

"She won't wait until you feel better to correct it," replied Peter knowingly. He had been on the receiving end of his mother's hairbrush many a time while growing up after rough housing with his brothers after being warned not to.

"But I'm sick," whined Neal.

"Yep but when I'm finished you will continued to be sick but also sporting a warm bottom. Now behave," she warned as she followed El up the stairs.

Peter waited until his mother and El were out of hearing range before he whispered to Neal, "If you do anything that gets me into trouble with Mom I will

warm your backside once she leaves."

"You wouldn't," argued Neal.

"Try me," replied Peter as he turned over and went to sleep leaving Neal to decide if he should try anything.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

After several days of his mother's medicine and soup, which was a medicine in itself, Peter and Neal were starting to feel better and when their fever broke they became eager to get up and move around.

"Where do you think you are going?" Carolyn asked Neal as she met him on the staircase.

"Upstairs…I'm tired of lying down; I want to have meals upstairs again," he said defiantly.

Carolyn handled that suggestion with one smack to his backside, "I told you earlier that you had to stay in bed until you became stronger. Your fever only broke this morning. I will not have any relapses from you…now scoot!"

Neal looked like he might disobey her but the smack reminded him of others that most likely would be coming if he did and he meekly turned around and headed back and got back into bed.

"I'm bored…there isn't anything to do," he whined.

"I'll get El to bring you down something to occupy your time…where is Peter?" Carolyn interrupted herself to ask. She had been so focused on Neal that she hadn't noticed that her son was missing. His fever had broken during the night but still the same instructions had been given to him as she had given to Neal…he was to stay into bed for the next couple of days until he became stronger.

"He left before I did…said something about his not going to take any more of that nasty medicine and headed upstairs to his room to watch some television," Neal said not caring if part of what he said wasn't the whole truth. He was mad that he hadn't been able to escape as successful as Peter had. In fact El had told Peter that if he liked he could come back to their room to recuperate the rest of the time.

"Oh he did, did he…well I will just have to see about that," she muttered angrily as she started back up the stairs while Neal smiled and laid back down.

Peter had been sleeping in his bed and relishing not having to share it with Neal when he woke up and decided that he would watch some television while he waited for lunch to be announced. He was peacefully doing that when his mother found him and lit into him with a vengeance.

"Peter Michael Burke…you disobeyed me by leaving downstairs when I particularly told you to stay until you had become stronger. I had hoped that you would be the one to set the good example but instead I find you upstairs watching television," she scolded.

"Mom let me explain," Peter replied quickly as he saw her hairbrush in her hand.

"Did you disobey me by not staying downstairs like you were ordered?"

"Yes ma'am…but" Peter tried to explain but his mother was too angry to listen and ordered him to turn over which he reluctantly did before she walloped him.

"Owww…Mom….owwww…let me…owww...explain….El…owww…told me ….owwww…I …owwww…could leave the room," he blurted out in between smacks and when Carolyn heard that she stopped.

"You asked El if you could leave."

"Yes ma'am…I was getting tired of sharing a bed with Neal and I know he was tired of sharing his bed with me and my fever had broken as his did a few hours later and knowing we were no longer contagious pleaded with El to let me come back to our bed…and after a few minutes to think it over she agreed and helped me upstairs where I've been sleeping until I woke a few minutes ago and decided to watch some TV until lunch was announced."

"Oh Peter, I'm so sorry…it's just when I saw that you weren't in bed with Neal and

I got mad. I didn't want you to experience a relapse as you did when you were a boy…do you remember? I think you had just gotten over pneumonia and decided to play and got it again only worse. Can you forgive me son?"

Peter smiled and opened his arms and hugged his mother lovingly, "Of course I forgive you; you did it only because you cared…but how did you know I was watching television in my room?"

"Neal told me that you were tired of taking my nasty medicines and were going to watch some television in your room," replied Carolyn not quite understanding why Peter wanted to know.

"He didn't tell you about my asking El or her helping to my room, because he was there and heard the whole conversation," explained Peter as he guessed the truth.

"He wanted me to come up here and spank you…but why?"

"Because I had managed to escape the room and he didn't…I'm guessing that you caught him trying to leave as well?" Peter asked.

"Oh, I see why you are such a great detective…that little imp I'm going to warm his bottom but good for this stunt," Carolyn said as she grabbed her hairbrush and started for the door. She paused before leaving to add, "And don't think that those few licks are going to take the place of the paddling coming to you for not taking the flu shot."

Peter just looked dumbfounded at her…that was of course what he was thinking and groaned.

When Carolyn went downstairs she was relieved to find Neal in bed sleeping and decided to just add this latest incident to his lists of "crimes" and handle it later but also vowed to not to take everything he said as the gospel truth…he had conned her into believing that Peter was at fault when he wasn't.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It was two days later that Carolyn decided that her two "boys" were well and able to get up and dressed and to join El and herself for breakfast. "Now even though I have pronounced you well it doesn't mean that you can resume with your normal activities," she announced at breakfast as she glared first at Peter and then at Neal.

"I know Mom, "replied Peter as he took a bite from his stack of pancakes, "I just plan on resting in the recliner and watching whatever game I may find…nothing strenuous."

Carolyn smiled at her son before turning to Neal, "and that means no going outside for any reason….you are not to leave this house. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes mom," sighed Neal. He was so tired of being cooped up in the house. "I guess I will read or draw."

"Good now I'll let you two eat in peace," replied Carolyn as she returned to her breakfast.

It was only a couple of hours later that Neal managed to get himself into more trouble and it started quite innocently. He was passing by the kitchen when he heard Satch whine and after investigating he found the yellow lab at the back door.

"You've got to go out big boy?" Neal asked the dog only to open the back door and watched as the lab ran outside and quickly did his business but seeing a squirrel quickly gave chase. He looked like he was having such a good time that Neal couldn't resist and grabbing the first jacket he saw darted out after the big dog.

He was only out for a few minutes but when he turned to go back he noticed that he had an audience and froze on the spot. Peter and El were giving him a sympathetic look but the expression on Carolyn's face was one of anger at being disobeyed yet again.

"You get yourself back in this house immediately young man," she said in a controlled voice and waited by the back door as Neal grudgingly made his way inside. When he came within reach of her hand Carolyn grabbed him by the ear and pulled him downstairs. "We have some unfinished business to take care of," she said over her shoulder as she left pausing at the top of the stairs to request,

"Peter, please bring me my hairbrush!"

When Neal heard that he began to plea, "No not that. I'm sorry it's just that it looked so inviting that I couldn't stop myself. I let Satch out and everything was fine until he started to chase the squirrel and he looked like he was having so much fun that I just had to join in. I've been stuck inside for such a long time…Mom, please don't spank me." Neal was still pleading his case when Peter arrived with his mother's hairbrush.

"Thank you son," Carolyn said upon receiving her hairbrush, "and if you wouldn't mind closing the door down to the basement Neal and I are going to have a long and for him a very painful conversation on his behavior. It's been adding up for some time and his judgment day has arrived with this last stunt."

Peter made a quick exit remembering his mother's promise to use that hairbrush on him for failing to get a flu shot and he didn't want it to happen now. He had only gotten to the top of the stairs when he heard his mother order Neal to drop his pants and bend over and closed the door on the punishment about to happen in the basement.

"The longer you wait the worse it is going to be," warned Carolyn at Neal's refusal to obey.

Neal looked into the unyielding face of his surrogate mother and knew that if he delayed any longer Mom would blister his backside even worse than what she had planned and reluctantly made his way to the only table in the room and fumbled a moment with his belt before letting them fall to his ankles. Then with the sigh of a martyr he bent over and awaited Carolyn's approach.

Neal jumped as he felt Carolyn's hand on his back knowing that the unavoidable was about to occur but when he felt her hands on his boxers he moaned and blushed with embarrassment at having his bare backside seen by 'mom' however all thoughts of embarrassment fled with the first stroke with the hairbrush and soon all he cared about was it being finished.

"Owwww…owwww…owwww…owwww…sorrryyy…owwww…owwww…no…owwww….more….owwww….pleaseeeee….owwww…owwww….owwww….mom…oww…please…owwww….owwwww….owwwww…" and on the spanking went as Neal began to sob and when he didn't think he could take one more stroke Carolyn stopped and pulled his boxers back up before pulling Neal into her embrace and held him as he cried.

"It's okay son, you've been punished for this last piece of disobedience…let's just hope that you won't do anything else today to add you your upcoming spankings," Carolyn said comfortingly.

It took a moment for her words to actually sink in ad when they did Neal pulled back and said, "my upcoming spankings? You don't mean that you are going to spank me again?"

"Oh yeah, several times to be exact. Neal you disobeyed me and you refused to get a flu shot which if you had maybe you wouldn't have gotten so sick bur don't worry you won't be getting them all today. I plan on spreading them out over the next few days."

"I won't be able to sit comfortably for days," whined Neal.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Mine but can't you make an exception," pleaded Neal as he wiped his tears away.

"No, I can't. I love you too much to allow that to happen. Neal you must learn that there are consequences to all you do…there are good consequences when you do the right thing as much as the bad ones when you are disobedience or put yourself in harm," explained Carolyn.

"You l-love me?"

"But of course, but I've only had a short time in teaching you right from wrong but I have no doubt that I will eventually be successful in my task of love. Now wash your face and reflect on what you did to acquire your warm bottom and try not to do it again," advised Carolyn as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and left carrying her hairbrush with her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Peter was sitting in the kitchen enjoying a fresh brewed cup of coffee with his wife when his mother walked by and said in passing, "Follow me Peter and let's get your punishment over with as well," and continued through the kitchen and up the stairs leaving Peter in shock with the abruptness of the request.

"Peter! You know better than to keep me waiting," Carolyn's voice wafted down a few minutes later as she waited at the top of the stairs.

Peter got up hastily with "But Mom," that quickly changed to a "Yes ma'am," a minute later.

El looked at Satch and sighed, "at least I won't have any trouble staying warm tonight," and got up to rummage for two pillows to go in the chairs of Peter and Neal for lunch.

"Mom, I was hoping that you would forget this since I have learned my lesson on not taking a flu shot with all of your home remedies I had to take," pleaded Peter as he walked into his bedroom to find his mother with hairbrush in hand waiting.

"Now son when have I ever let a punishment go by because of sickness. I spanked your bottom as soon as you got over your rehabs of pneumonia as soon as you were well. I didn't punish you for catching it the first time but for catching it after you disobeyed me by getting up too soon after getting over it the first time and playing," she reminded him with a smile. "If you had accompanied your wife when she went for hers you wouldn't be in this position now but no you had to watch some ball game instead…well after I'm finished you will realize that your health is more important than some old game on the television," she added as she motioned for him to come closer.

Reluctantly Peter did as was expected of him and went over to the only table in the room, El's dressing table and dropped his pants and bent over. He had only been in that position for a minute or two before he felt the first lick…hard against his buttocks and let out a yell of pain "Yeoowww," and followed it with two more as the hairbrush fell hard against his backside. "Owww…owww…owww…owwww

…owww…owww…owwww…owwww…owww," Peter continued to cry out with each lick until the licks stopped and he felt his mother's arms around him pulling him into her embrace.

"Y-you haven't l-lost your t-touch any M-Mom," he stuttered as he tried to get his emotions under control.

"I'm sorry that I was forced to do that son but I love you too much not to correct you when I see a need. I bet the next time El asks you to come along with her for a flu shot you won't think twice about doing so," Carolyn said as she gave Peter a kiss on the cheek.

"No ma'am of that you won't have to worry," Peter said with a smile as he kissed her back. "I'm going to rest up here until lunch is ready if you don't mind…maybe by then the sting would have lessened and I'll be able to sit and enjoy lunch."

Carolyn nodded and smiled as she left him to rest on his stomach for a while and went down to help El with lunch.

Lunch time found the four of them enjoying a meal together; something they haven't been able to since Neal and then Peter had gotten sick. Peter and Neal spent the better part of the lunch trying to find a comfortable location and even with the help of the pillow the pain in their bottoms still made locating that comfortable spot hard to do.

"Mom," Neal addressed Carolyn, "so when do you think you will allow me to go outside. I'm kind of bored being inside."

Carolyn smiled at the address but answered her surrogate son. "If you can stay out of trouble and stay fever free for the next two days I may allow you a few minutes outside."

"Two days! Can't I go out tomorrow for a few minutes, pleaseeeeee," pleaded

Neal.

"I don't think you will feel like doing much except lying on your stomach for the next two days," warned Carolyn seriously.

Neal paled with that information…"You aren't really going to spank me for all of that stuff I did when I was sick, are you?" he asked.

Peter just smiled at the question before he answered for his mom, "I can tell you from experience that she is going to do exactly that, buddy boy. If she said that she is going to punish you there is nothing you can say to convince her otherwise."

"But two days' worth…was I really that bad?"

"YES!" a chorus of three voices answered him loudly.

Neal slumped down in defeat and returned to his lunch already beginning to plan on how to get his tail out of trouble with "mom."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It wasn't until the next day before his next spanking that a plan of desperation came from Neal. He would simply hide Mom's hairbrush; she couldn't spank him if she didn't have the hairbrush was as far as his thinking got and he acted at once on it. It was so simple really he waited until after she had gotten dressed and headed down to help El with breakfast that Neal snuck up and tiptoed into her bedroom and after finding the hated item took it away to hide; only Neal was so focused on his task that he didn't noticed Peter who had just come out of his bedroom with the intention of watching the news downstairs and had seen Neal with his mother's hairbrush and realized what he was up to and secretly followed behind.

Peter watched as Neal scurried downstairs and hid the hairbrush on the top shelf of the bookcase behind a small book. The size of the book was perfect since with the hairbrush behind it the book wasn't pushed out to alert anyone that something was amiss.

All Peter did was to remove the hairbrush leaving the book as Neal left it and return the hairbrush to his rightful place next to his mother's bed. Since he was in no danger of being spanked again Peter had no qualms in taking the hairbrush from its hiding place. He knew that Neal deserved every spanking his mother deemed he receives. Once his chore was accomplished Peter returned to the living room to watch the news chuckling to himself on how surprised Neal was going to be when his mother took him in hand for the day's spanking. He could just see a confident Neal being reduced to tears once he learned that the hairbrush would be used on his backside once again.

Breakfast was a bigger success for Neal and Peter since they could enjoy it without squirming and the ladies outdid themselves with bacon and blueberry waffles. El also brewed some of June's Italian roast coffee and both men had two cups as they filled their bellies on a delicious breakfast.

"That was delicious, ladies," Peter said after swallowing his last mouthful. "It has been too long since the last time you fixed waffles."

"That's because I want you to stay slim my love," replied El with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Are you implying that I wouldn't be if you had waffles more often," replied Peter.

"You shouldn't have to worry about that El," Neal butted in, "I keep him too busy to gain weight…he's always chasing after me for something or the other."

"Is that right Peter?" asked Carolyn as she gave Neal the "what else have you been up to" look that often accompanied a close and personal encounter with her hairbrush.

"I was only teasing Mom," Neal was quick to say. He didn't need any more of her attention as he correctly read her expression.

Peter decided to save Neal from his mother and agreed, "He's been a lot better since I've taken an interest in what he does and he has learned that the consequences often lead him to resting on his stomach for the night."

Carolyn nodded but didn't lose her serious look as she watched her surrogate son squirm a bit in his chair. "Come on son, let's get your current spanking out of the way so you can recover and enjoy the rest of the day."

"Yes ma'am," Neal agreed as he got up to follow without uttering a plea for clemency which surprised Elizabeth as well as it did Carolyn.

El noticed at once the "cat with the canary" look Peter was showing and whispered, "What did you do?"

"Neal hid Mom's hairbrush; I just happened to see where he hid it and put it back…Neal doesn't know that part yet…but I imagine he will learn about it about….now!"

As soon as Peter said the word "now," they could hear a loud

"NOOOOOO…where did that come from?" before the normal cries from being paddled reached their ears…"Owww…owwww…owwww…owww…owwww…" and on the licks and cries continued until the count reached twelve and then silence and they knew the spanking was over.

Carolyn appeared a few minutes later with a curious expression on her face. "He acted surprised to see my hairbrush just now…I wonder why," she murmured until she caught her son's expression and asked,

"Peter what do you know that I don't?"

Peter exchanged a look with El before he answered, "If I tell you will you be tempted to add to the heat in Neal's bottom?"

"No…he tried to hide it, didn't he?" Carolyn said as she guessed the truth and with Peter's nod she added, "and you found the hairbrush and put it back?"

"Yes, ma'am…I saw where he hid it and put it back. He deserved the spankings; maybe he will learn from them like I did when they were directed at me," Peter replied quietly.

They were still talking when Neal came in, his tear stained face evident of the spanking he had just received. "Are you okay dear?" asked El softly as he walked past on his way to the living room.

Neal paused and nodded, "I'm okay El, just sore," as he glanced at Carolyn before walking on.

Peter got up and followed noticing that he went to the book he had hidden the hairbrush behind. He stared at it a moment before pulling it completely off the shelf and throwing it to the floor. "I put it there but why was it in her room a few minutes ago," he muttered to himself.

"Because I put it back," Peter replied quietly.

Neal turned around in shock and stared at Peter with surprise. "You put it back? Why? You knew she was going to use it on me?"

"Yep; Neal you deserved that spanking…lying is not a good thing whether it is to me or Mom and as soon as you learn it the better you will be…now if you can keep from getting into trouble you will only have one more of hers to suffer through tomorrow," warned Peter as he passed him by to reclaim his place in the recliner with remote control in hand.

"Not if I can help it," Neal thought as he left Peter to his television watching and went down to his room. It was time that he took the final step in removing the source of his discomfort. He would destroy the hairbrush.

Neal waited until after El and Carolyn left the house to go on a needed grocery run. The bad weather had ended two days ago and everything was getting back to normal with the exception of his and Peter's forced stay inside. He could tell that Peter was enjoying his stay inside; he could watch whatever ball game he could find and just rest. He knew that soon that could change without warning and he might be doing an all-nighter once again. Well Neal was bored to tears…he needed to be out anywhere but here but knew that Peter would stop him if he tried anything before Carolyn gave him permission.

So Neal decided to use the time wisely and destroy the hated hairbrush before Mom returned. He had taken it the moment Carolyn and El had left and even now had it hidden in his room in the basement. He was just waiting for Peter to drift off like he normally did while watching television and when he did he would take a hammer to the hairbrush and dispose of the remains before anyone was any wiser.

Neal's plan would have worked except for one thing…Peter didn't fall asleep as soon as Neal had hoped and it wasn't until nearly an hour later that a soft snore could be heard from Peter's recliner and Neal hastily ran downstairs to destroy the hairbrush once and for good.

Neal pulled the hairbrush out and laid it on the table and pulled out the hammer he had "borrowed" and brought it down in one destroying blow. A smile lit up his face and he brought the hammer down twice more and was surveying the hairbrush in its many pieces when he heard, "NEAL CAFFREY FREEZE!" Neal turned around to see the angry face of Elizabeth who darted down the stairs to grab Neal by the ear as she brought what she had in her hand into his field of vision.

It was the dreaded wooden spoon and she was striking his butt within a matter of seconds. "I was coming down to check on you…we got back a few minutes ago," she said as she continued to bring the spoon down as she explained stopping after realizing that Neal was too heavily cushioned for her impromptu spanking to do any good and released his ear.

Neal was wearing a pair of Peter's sweatpants and hadn't really felt the sting of the wooden spoon. "Drop your sweats and bend over that table!" she ordered.

"NO!" Neal said refusing.

"I can always have Peter explain to you with his belt why it is better to obey me now," she said threateningly.

"That's blackmail," Neal replied as he considered her words.

"As long as it gets you bottomless and over that table I don't care," replied El seriously.

"Bottomless? You didn't say anything about my dropping my boxers as well," whined Neal.

"That was the added consequence of your not obeying me the first time," replied El sternly.

Neal pouted a bit longer and when he realized that she would get Peter and he would tear into him with his belt and most likely on his bare backside he stomped angrily to the table and dropped both his sweats and boxers and waited for the punishment El had in mind. He didn't have to wait long before the first lick found its mark against his right buttock and after that he lost count of how many were rained down all he knew was that the heat buildup quickly until he began to howl with pain.

Even though it felt like El had given him a lot she had only given him six well placed licks with her spoon. The reason it felt like more was due to the fact that his bottom was still sore from the spanking he had received earlier from Carolyn.

He was so focused in his pain that he didn't even realized that he had an audience until El laid down her spoon and said, "Its over; you can get redressed now," and also heard Peter ask,

"What did he do this time?"

"He destroyed your mom's hairbrush…the pieces are at the end of the table," explained El as she pointed to the several pieces lying there next to a hammer.

She then caught sight of her mother-in-law and added,

"I'm sorry I didn't get here in time to stop him Carolyn; I hope it wasn't a favorite hairbrush?"

"It wasn't, but why did you destroy my hairbrush Neal?" she asked as she came close to the still sobbing Neal and gently pulled up his boxers and sweatpants.

"B-Because if y-you d-didn't have i-it y-you c-couldn't s-spank-k m-me with it

t-tomorrow," replied Neal as he tried to get his emotions back in line.

"Silly boy, didn't Peter tell you that I always carry a spare just in case. Your destroying my hairbrush just now will not keep me from spanking your naughty backside tomorrow and from what my grandchildren tell me this new one wallops an even nastier sting then the old one," she explained cheerfully as she left a stunned Neal to contemplate what he had done and how it was going to affect him in the upcoming days.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Neal regretted his decision to destroy the hairbrush for the remainder of the day especially every time he sat. His backside hurt so bad during the lunch time that he asked if he could have it downstairs while lying on his side in the manner of the ancient Romans. El hid her smile as she quickly brought him down a plate of sandwiches and a cup of hot tea. As she sat it down on the night table next to his bed she told him,

"Neal I'm so sorry that your actions forced me to take you in hand earlier; I do hope you have learned your lesson and will behave from now on."

Neal nodded sadly as he carefully took a small bite of the sandwich and then brightened up when he realized that she had fixed his favorite…chicken salad.

"You made my favorite, El. Thank you."

"I've also brought you some chips to go along with it and a piece of lemon pound cake…call if you want anything else," she said as she ruffled his hair before darting back up the stairs.

"You treat that boy like a misbehaved son who needs a bit of loving after being punished," observed Carolyn as she waited at the top of the stairs…she had witnessed the whole thing as she waited for El to return.

"Well, he needs a mother's love and a father's firm hand," retorted El with a smile," and we like being the parents he should have had when he was growing up.

"Well, if that is the case I need to tell him that I have renounced my position as his surrogate mother and become his grandmother instead. He does act a lot like my grandchildren…a child still at heart testing his parents resolve to still love and care for him no matter what he does," remarked Carolyn with a smile.

"You don't have to do that Carolyn: Neal needs all of the mothers he can find and they all need to be willing and able to stick by him no matter what he does and be prepared to take him in hand when he screws up and as you have seen for yourself he screws up a lot."

Carolyn smiled and the two ladies went on into the kitchen to prepare lunch for Peter and themselves unaware that Neal had heard the whole conversation and felt humbled my their love and care; He just wished that they didn't have to always show how much they cared to the seat of his britches.

After lunch had been served and eaten by the rest of the household Carolyn went down to pick up Neal's dirty dishes and to check on him. She found him still lying on his side staring off into space as if he was thinking. The sandwiches had been consumed as had the chips and cake.

"Neal, dear, are you feeling better now?" Carolyn asked delicately not wanting to bring attention to his sore bottom.

"Yes ma'am," replied Neal at once and then hesitating he added, "Thank you grandmother."

The response took Carolyn by surprise and as she looked at Neal with surprise he added, "I heard you and El talking a few minutes ago. I would love for you to be my grandmother. I have June and El as mother figures and they do their job quite well," as he unconsciously rubbed his backside.

"Well, Neal my grandchildren call me Cookie instead of grandmother and I would like for you to do the same. My oldest grandchild named me that when she was very young and the nickname stuck," she explained at Neal's raised eyebrow. "I was baking cookies at the time of her visit that she just put the two together."

Neal nodded and then said, "Thank you for wanting me, Cookie," which prompted Carolyn into pulling Neal into a hug and murmuring in his ear,

"I've wanted you from the moment Peter described you in his letters…you sounded like a young man in need of love, understanding and to be nurtured…including teaching that there will always be consequences for your actions."

"But they hurt," replied Neal.

"That's because you have only received the hurtful ones but there are also good consequences that you haven't received yet…and that is because?"

"I keep on pushing the wrong buttons like lying, misbehaving and pushing Peter's buttons," replied Neal as understanding flooded him and he asked,

"What are the good consequences Cookie?"

"Hugs and kisses are good starts and knowing that you have helped someone in need and you receive the good feelings and if you are extra special I'll make you some of my cookies, they are a family tradition. I call them Grace Cookies; they are mainly made up of brown sugar, pecans and margarine," Carolyn said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I guess I've been too bad to receive any of those," he said regretfully.

"We can make an exception this time since you haven't be exposed to doing the right thing when growing up and if you are good for the remainder of the day," teased Carolyn.

"I can do that…please," replied Neal excited like a school boy.

"I'll make them only with one exception," Carolyn said seriously.

"What?"

"If you help me; this batch we will make together…deal?"

The smile that graced Neal's features was all of the answer Carolyn required and she said, "Then come along and let's get started."

It was a happier Neal that ran up the stairs then that who had descended earlier and it took both Peter and El by surprise but it was a good surprise and they stood back and watched as boy and grandmother took over the kitchen and made cookies.

"These are really good Neal," praised El as she took another bite as she sipped her cup of hot tea. "Don't you think so, hon," she added as she addressed her husband.

"Humph," was all she got in reply as Peter shoved another cookie in his mouth.

"They are great…brings back good memories of growing up," he finally said after swallowing the last bit before reaching for more. "They taste best with a glass of milk though," he added as he jumped up to pour himself a glass.

The cookie making had been a success. The team of Neal and Cookie had produced a double portion of cookies and they had set down to enjoy as many as they could while they were still warm and before the mother instincts of both Carolyn and El took over and started limiting how many they could continue to eat, which happened about five minutes later.

"That's it…if you eat anymore you won't want supper and I'm fixing a pot roast with all of the trimmings," El said firmly as she snatched a cookie out of Peter's hand and watched as Carolyn did the same to Neal.

"Neal, you know I think Satch would love a short walk around the block," Carolyn said knowingly, "and I think that you should accompany him, Peter…it will help work off some of those cookies you just ate."

Neal's face lit up again…finally his moment of escape from the house and it was coming a day earlier than what Carolyn had said yesterday and he hurried to into his coat and hat.

"Don't forget your scarf and gloves, Neal and you had better not do anything too strenuous or we will be having another conversation in your room," she warned teasingly.

"Yes Cookie," he responded to Peter's shock and then his delight as he realized that his mother had acquired another grandchild with Neal. Things were finally starting to look up.

**AN**: If anyone is interested in the cookies Neal and Cookie made in this chapter they can find the recipe at the end of this story in Chapter 15.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The rest of the time Carolyn stayed with the Burkes went uneventful as Neal behaved even when he got his last spanking at her hands for not taking better care of himself by not getting a flu shot; and it was because of seeing how much her influence had on Neal that lead her into making a life changing decision which she discussed with Peter.

"Mom it has been so nice having you here," cried Peter as he took her to the train station for her train home. "I will have everything in place for when you return for Christmas," he added as he gave her a hug and a kiss goodbye.

"I'm going to miss you Cookie," added Neal as he said his goodbyes to the only grandmother he knew.

"Now you behave Neal; I wouldn't want the first thing I do when I return to be tanning your hide for some misdeed," Carolyn said as she kissed him on the cheek.

After that it was only a matter of getting on the train; her luggage had already been packed. The two men watched as the train left the station before turning and walking back to the car.

"Uh, Peter, you missed my turn off to go to June's," Neal said as Peter drove past the turn off.

"You aren't going back to Junes," murmured the older man. "We still have the

matter of your lies to mom that got me a spanking at her hands to address."

"Peter…your mother has already spanked me for lying," Neal said in alarm.

"Obviously you have forgotten what I promised you while we were recuperating together," replied Peter as he glanced at his companion and seeing the sudden alarm on Neal's face he knew he remembered.

"Yep I plan on warming you up nicely for that…once we get home!"

Neal slammed the door as he darted ahead of Peter upon entering the Burke home bringing El out to see what was wrong. "Neal…that didn't help your situation in the least," Peter shouted angrily as he entered two seconds later.

Seeing the angry scowls on her husbands and surrogate son's face asked carefully, "What happened?"

"El he's going to spank me for something I did a few weeks ago; you know I was still recuperating when I did that. I didn't really mean to do it; it just slipped out when I was angry," explained Neal to the utter confusion of El who looked at Peter for a clearer explanation.

"I told Neal when we were in the basement room being treated by mom for the cold or flu we had that if Neal did anything to get me in trouble with Mom I would warm his backside as soon as she left. Well we watched her leave so now it is time for payback," Peter explained as Neal fidgeted in front of him.

"What did he do to get you in trouble with Carolyn and I take it by trouble you mean that she took her hairbrush to you?" El asked.

Peter nodded and said, "He told her that I had decided to leave the basement even after she had ordered me to stay until I was better just so I could watch TV. You remember El you came down after Mom had left and seeing how miserable we both were at being cooped up together said that you didn't see the harm of my recuperating in my room, especially since I was no longer running fever."

"Yes, I did that and I meant to tell Carolyn about it as soon as I saw her but she must have slipped back down before I could," El recalled as understanding suddenly dawned on her and she turned angrily at Neal,

"You didn't tell Carolyn that part did you and made her think that Peter had disobeyed her orders," she accused and when Neal wouldn't answer or even look her in the face she muttered,

"You just wait until I find my wooden spoon, young man…we are going to have a long conversation about your lying."

"Peter! " Neal turned to Peter for help.

Peter chuckled at Neal predicament. "You thought you would get El to protect you and now you are looking at a spanking from both of us…you just can't let it be. If you had just taken your just punishment without complaint you wouldn't been facing a double spanking just now."

Neal hung his head in defeat and Peter took pity on him. "El I think we can forgo your spanking and let mine do for the both of us…this one time but the next time you try and pit my wife against me you will be one very unhappy young man…now get down to your room; I won't be a minute," ordered Peter who had to laugh as Neal practically left marks on the floor as he hurried downstairs.

El waited until she knew she wouldn't be overheard before turning to Peter and saying, "Don't be too hard on him dear; he's learning about consequences but as you know he's a slow learner in that category. Carolyn was such a big influence on him these last few days and he didn't misbehave once."

"I was only going to give him six licks but now I think I will extend it to ten to make a point and as an added bonus I will tell him of mother's decision…I know he will be so pleased," Peter explained as he went down to deal with his troublesome kid.

He found Neal with pants and boxers down bent over the table waiting his punishment and had to stifle a laugh. "Neal I had originally only planned on giving you six licks but after that little scene upstairs I have decided to add four extra licks…that's for ticking off El," and without further ado he removed his belt and laid the ten licks on the upturned backside in front of him making sure the last four were laid on the under curve of his buttocks guaranteeing that he would remember whenever he sat.

Neal took the first three with gritted teeth but was squirming and yelling with each of the remainder until he found himself sobbing by the spanking's end.

Peter pulled him into a forgiving hug and said, "Your slate is cleaned once again, please try and keep it that way. I really wouldn't want mom first chore on her return for Christmas to be to warm her newest grandson's backside for some antic of yours."

"I-I'll try-y; but it is h-hard," sniffled Neal as he pulled up his boxers and pants.

"We all noticed how much Mom influenced your behavior these last few days especially Mom," began Peter only to be interrupted with Neal adding,

"Her hairbrush has really been the influence; I behaved because I didn't want to feel it again; and won't since she has returned home," he thought to himself.

"When my father was still alive the furthest thing from her mind was leaving the homestead but now with Dad's death she has come to the realization that she just can't run the place by herself."

"So is she going to move in with your brother, Dan?" asked Neal, "he's the one with all of the grandchildren."

"Well there is also my sister, Sally who had two little girls," Peter hastened to add.

"But no she has decided to move here…to New York. In fact she has already purchased …"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!," cried Neal in alarm, "don't tell me."

"Yep, the house a block away," replied Peter excitedly. "Now when we have to go out of town we can send you to her if needed and know that you will be well taken care of…we will always have someone to take care of you!"

The End


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

**Grace's Cookies**

**Ingredients:**

1¼ cups of flour

2½ cups if doubling the recipe

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon if doubling together

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon if doubling

**Mix flour, soda & salt together**

1¼ cups of light brown sugar

2½ cups if doubling

1/3 cup stick margarine

2/3 cups if doubling

**Mix brown sugar & margarine together**

1 egg

2 eggs if doubling

1 cup pecans

2 cups if doubling

**Bake at 350 degrees for 7 – 10 minutes (depending on how hot your oven is or how large your cookies are…start with the lower time and check.) If cookies are a light brown and a little brown around the edge they are done….take them out and let them cool on a rack before eating. They will appear to be soft and will continue to cook as they cool. Do not cook them until they are hard. They freeze well.**

**First mix brown sugar and soften margarine together; when well mixed, add flour mixture gradually, adding egg for moisture when needed. You may have to add a tablespoon of water if batter is too stiff. Add pecans. With teaspoons form medium to large size lumps on cookie sheets.**

**MUST BE A STIFF BATTER.**

**Do Not Grease Cookie Sheets Unless They Are New! If they are new the cookies will stick and blacken**

**due to the coating and the cookie sheet must be greased.**

**Makes 25 – 45 cookies**

**Makes 70 – 90 cookies (if doubling the recipe)**


End file.
